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The $100K Summer Showdown Coming Up at Evergreen Speedway

25Jun

Monroe, WA: After months of preparation for the biggest and richest Super Late Model Race on the West Coast, Evergreen Speedway’s 3rd Annual NASCAR Summer Showdown presented by Coors Light on June 27 & 28 is finally here. It should be a record number of Super Late Models with over 50 cars pre-registered and more expected by race day. The $100,000.00+ has drawn drivers from 8 States and 2 Provinces of Canada. The speed weekend begins on Thursday June 26 with an open practice on the BIG Track the 5/8-mile oval. Friday June 27 has Summer Showdown qualifying for the Super Late Models. The local Street Stock and Mini-Stock Divisions will be on the 5/8-mile for main events. The very important Summer Showdown Qualifying Heats (25-laps) where the drivers race their way into the big race. Saturday will have the Last Chance Shootout(s) (50-laps) to qualify for the remaining positions in the 36 car Summer Showdown 200-lap race with $20,000.00 going to the winner plus the Pro 4 Alliance Race (40-laps) for the 4-cylinder Late Models.

Not only are the drivers from the 8 US States and 2 Canadian Provinces they are very diverse in age and experience. From top named drivers that have won many series and track championships to a group of in their teens to a bit more mature group in their twenties and beyond.

There are four women entered all in their teens: Molly Helmuth (Seattle, WA) 19-years old is a regular Super Late Model driver at Evergreen Speedway; Jessica Dana (Olympia, WA) 19-years old has the second most experience on the BIG track, the 5/8-mile oval at Evergreen Speedway; Nicole Behar (Otis Orchards, WA) is this youngest of the four at just 16-years old. Her home track is Stateline Speedway in Post Falls, Idaho; Mariah McGriff (Tucson, AZ) the 18 year old granddaughter of NASCAR Legend Hershel McGriff. Mariah will be making her first trip to Evergreen Speedway as a Super Late Model driver. Her home track is NASCAR’s newest Home Track, Tucson Speedway in Tucson, AZ. Each of these ladies has a strong background in racing. Check out at their highlights on their individual web sites.

Some of the other very talented racers in their teens entered are: Gracin Raz (Lake Oswego, OR) 16-years old; Blake Williams (Spokane, WA) 19-years old; Peter Link (Snoqualmie, WA) 19 years old; Brandon Scheiber (Maple Valley, WA) 19-years old; Cameron Hayley (Calgary, AB) 17-years old. Each of these drivers already have championships from quarter midgets to karting. Many have won major races in their young careers. Each has aspirations to further their career and the Summer Showdown’s national attention is another step toward the top.

More drivers are expected. There are over 30 major series championships and too many to count track championships by all these drivers.

Early in the year track operators Doug & Traci Hobbs asked what would it take to make the Summer Showdown bigger and better? The answer was increase the purse to a record amount. They did with the response above expectations by both drivers and the fans. The Hobbs always forward thinking are already planning the 2015 Summer Showdown. In their short tenure, they have quickly raised Evergreen Speedway to the third ranked NASCAR Weekly Track in North America and the biggest weekly track west of the Mississippi. The Hobbs were recently chosen as Racing Promoters of the Year in District 6 by their peers in the Racing Promoters Association.

Summer Showdown Grand Marshall is NASCAR Legend Hershel McGriff who will be available for autographs throughout the two day extravaganza. During NASCAR’s 50th anniversary celebration in 1998, McGriff was elected one of NASCAR’s 50 greatest drivers. A plaque with many of McGriff’s career stats is in the NASCAR Hall of Fame in Charlotte, NC. McGriff has been inducted into Motorsports Hall of Fame, Oregon Sports Hall of Fame, West Coast Stock Car Hall of Fame, Most Popular Driver 12 years running.. McGriff began racing stock cars in 1945 after racing resumed in the U.S. following World War II. At the age of 17, he raced at the Portland Speedway where he finished 12th or 13th in a 250-lapper on a muddy, 5/8-mile track in his minister father’s 1940 Hudson while his father prayed under the bleachers. At age 84, he is NASCAR’s oldest active competitor and NASCAR K&N Pro Series West’s oldest and winningest active competitor, with 31 victories. McGriff won the inaugural Mexican Carrera Pan Americana road race in 1950, outrunning 131 other cars including NASCAR founder Bill France, Curtis Turner and other NASCAR drivers.

The anthem on Saturday will be performed by the 40-member University of Washing Alumni Band and there will be a special fly over.

For more information and or tickets go to www.evergreenspeedway.com or call 360-805-6100.